Actor Tiffany Cooper Makes a Case for Theatre in Alaska

Earlier this week, actor Tiffany Cooper who plays Elizabeth in the current PT production of Sarah Ruhl’s In the Next Room, or the vibrator play, (running through Saturday, April 2), visited the KTOO studios with our actor-in-residence James Sullivan to talk about the play and the ways that theatre supports the community, and our community in turn supports Perseverance Theatre. Tiffany is an accomplished Broadway and television actress, she is a resident of Anchorage, and also a donor to Perseverance. We thought she spoke so eloquently on Juneau Afternoon, that we asked her to jot down her thoughts for us for the blog. Here’s what Tiffany has to say:

I support Perseverance Theatre because it brings Alaskans together to share an experience that may be beautiful, funny, moving, thought-provoking, or hopefully at least diverting. And in an age when most of our communication happens in front of a screen, I think that this gathering function of theatre is, in and of itself, something that matters.

One of the things I love about Perseverance is that theatre contributes to education and literacy. Watching characters talk back and forth in the theatre is tricky; it requires sharp attention, quick mental shifts, and nimble language skills. It teaches us about human motivation and psychology.

For me, the bottom line is that Perseverance supports and hires artists throughout the state. It’s not just a small town theatre company. It’s an organization that brings artists together from across Alaska to present theatre statewide.